1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fusible link directly mounted on a battery terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a fusible link disclosed in the later-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-116309.
This fusible link 100 is directly mounted on a battery terminal 220 coupled to a battery post 210 of a battery 200 mounted on a vehicle.
The fusible link 100 includes a fuse element 110 integrally formed with a metallic plate and two resin housings, a first housing 120 and a second housing 130, supporting the fuse element 110.
The fuse element 110 includes a battery coupling plate 111 and a plurality of tongue-like external coupling plates 114. The battery coupling plate 111 is coupled to a stud bolt 221 of the battery terminal 220. The external coupling plates 114 are coupled through a fusible part 113 to a plurality of connecting plates 112 branched from the battery coupling plate 111. If a current with a value equal to or larger than a rated current value flows, the fusible part 113 is fused to protect an external circuit coupled to the external coupling plate 114.
The first housing 120 supports the base end of the connecting plates 112 and the battery coupling plate 111. The second housing 130 supports the tip end of the connecting plates 112 and the base end of the external coupling plates 114. The connecting plates 112 exposed between the first housing 120 and the second housing 130 are bent portions.
The first housing 120 and the second housing 130 are configured to be orthogonal to each other by bending the connecting plates 112 exposed therebetween at right angle, as illustrated in the diagram.
The fusible link 100 disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-116309 is disposed so that the second housing 130 is laid on a side surface 201 of the battery 200 if the fusible link 100 is mounted on the battery 200 through the battery terminal 220.
The reference numeral 150 in FIG. 6 refers to another fusible link additionally coupled to the fusible link 100. The reference numeral 160 refers to a power feed connector of an external device coupled to the external coupling plate 114 of the fusible link 100. The reference numeral 170 refers to a power feed connector of an external device coupled to an external coupling plate 151 of the fusible link 150.
The fusible link 100 disclosed in Patent Literature 1, however, can be installed to the battery 200 with only one installation configuration. If the installation space on the battery side is changed, the installation configuration of the fusible link 100 cannot be changed. That is, the fusible link 100 has low flexibility.
Recently, increased number of electric circuits mounted on a vehicle also increases number of fusible links mounted on the vehicle. This tendency generates the needs of saving the space for installing a fusible link.